To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to construct, lease, or modify major medical facilities at the site of the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado.

January 7, 2003

Mr. HEFLEY (for himself, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. McInnis, Mrs. Musgrave, Mr. Tancredo, Mr. Beauprez, and Ms. DEGETTE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to construct, lease, or modify major medical facilities at the site of the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Veterans' New Fitzsimons Health Care Facilities Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS, FORMER FITZSIMONS ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, AURORA, COLORADO.

(a) AUTHORIZATION- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out major medical facility projects under section 8104 of title 38, United States Code, at the site of the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado. Projects to be carried out at such site shall be selected by the Secretary and may include inpatient and outpatient facilities providing acute, sub-acute, primary, and long-term care services. Project costs shall be limited to an amount not to exceed a total of $300,000,000 if a combination of direct construction by the Department of Veterans Affairs and capital leasing is selected under subsection (b) and no more than $30,000,000 per year in capital leasing costs if a leasing option is selected as the sole option under subsection (b).

(b) SELECTION OF CAPITAL OPTION- The Secretary of Veterans shall select the capital option to carry out the authority provided in subsection (a) of either--

(1) direct construction by the Department of Veterans Affairs or a combination of direct construction and capital leasing; or

(2) capital leasing alone.

(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal years 2004, 2005, and 2006 for `Construction, Major Projects' for the purposes authorized in subsection (a)--

(1) a total of $300,000,000, if direct construction, or a combination of direct construction and capital leasing, is chosen pursuant to subsection (b) for purposes of the projects authorized in subsection (a); and

(2) $30,000,000 for each such fiscal year, if capital leasing alone is chosen pursuant to subsection (b) for purposes of the projects authorized in subsection (a).

(d) LIMITATION- The projects authorized in subsection (a) may only be carried out using--

(1) funds appropriated for fiscal year 2004, 2005, or 2006 pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in subsection (a);

(2) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, for a fiscal year before fiscal year 2004 that remain available for obligation; and

(3) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, for fiscal year 2004, 2005, or 2006 for a category of activity not specific to a project.

(e) REPORT TO CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES- Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations and the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on this section. The report shall include notice of the option selected by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (b) to carry out the authority provided by subsection (a), information on any further planning required to carry out the authority provided in subsection (a), and other information of assistance to the committees with respect to such authority.

END